On deck: Yankees at Angels, Monday, 7 p.m., Fox Sports West

2014-05-04 18:01:00

YANKEES AT ANGELS

Where:Angel Stadium

TV: Fox Sports West, 7 p.m.

Did you know: Albert Pujols has 502 career home runs after Sunday’s first-inning slam. He is three homers away from passing Eddie Murray for 25th on MLB’s all-time leaderboard. Pujols is also seven extra-base hits from taking 24th in extra-base hits from Chipper Jones and three doubles away from passing Lou Gehrig for 34th in career doubles.

Yankees report: New York took two out of three from the Angels at the end of April, but the Yankees have scuffled since and are now fighting to stay above .500. Offense isn’t an issue, but the Yanks’ starting pitching is struggling, outside of Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka. This trip will mark retiring shortstop Derek Jeter’s last hurrah in Anaheim.

THE PITCHERS

RHP JERED WEAVER (2-2, 4.00)

Weaver has had three consecutive solid starts, but he has yet to be dominant in any one start this season. Perhaps the biggest sign of his decrease in effectiveness is Manager Mike Scioscia’s shorter leash with the 31-year-old right-hander. Weaver hasn’t finished seven innings once. Home runs haven’t been an issue other than that one aberration in Houston, but walks have. Weaver’s walk rate is at an all-time high.

Vs. Yankees: 6-4, 5.93

At Angel Stadium: 60-25, 2.70

Loves to face: Brett Gardner, 2 for 15 (.133), 1 BB, 8 SO

Hates to face: Alfonso Soriano, 5 for 6 (.833), 2 HR, 8 RBI

RHP DAVID PHELPS (0-0, 3.86)

Phelps will be making his first start of 2014, but he has started 23 games over the previous two seasons while shuffling in and out of the Yankees’ bullpen. He’s filling in for Michael Pineda, who was suspended for the pine-tar incident and then injured. Phelps was supposed to step into the rotation Wednesday, but a rainout scrapped that game, and he hasn’t pitched since April 23.